Polyoxyalkylene acrylates and methacrylates



United States Patent 3,277,157 POLYOXYALKYLENE ACRYLATES AND METHACRYLATES William T. Stewart, El Cerrito, Frank A. Stuart, Orinda,

and Warren Lowe and Frank W. Kavanagh, Berkeley, Calif., assignors to Chevron Research Company, a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Continuation of application Ser. No. 77 7,596, Dec. 2, 1958, which is a division of application Ser. No. 574,636, Mar. 29, 1956, This application July 9, 1963, Ser. No. 293,828

7 Claims. (Cl. 260486) This application is a continuation of Stewart, Stuart, Lowe and Kavanagh application Serial No. 777,596, filed December 2, 1958, now abandoned; which in turn is a division of Stewart, Stuart, Lowe and Kavanagh application Serial No. 574,636, filed March 29, 1956, now US. Patent No. 2,892,820; which in turn is a continuation-inpart of Lowe, Stewart, Stuart and Kavanagh application Serial No. 400,758, filed December 28, 1953, now abandoned, and Stewart, Stuart, Lowe and Kavanagh application Serial No. 400,759, filed December 28, 1953, now abandoned; both of which are continuations-in-part of Stuart, Stewart, Lowe and Kavanagh application Serial No. 340,378, filed March 4, 1953, now abandoned.

This invention relates to the provision of a novel polymer composition, and it is particularly directed to the provision of copolymers of relatively high molecular weight which are soluble in mineral oil and other hydrocarbons and have good detergent and peptizing qualities among other desirable characteristics.

The polymeric additives of the present invention are copolymers of monomers selected from at least each of the first two classes of the classes consisting of (A) oilsolubilizing compounds having a polymerizable ethylenic linkage and containing a hydrocarbyl group of from 4 to 30 aliphatic carbon atoms, (B) esters of mil-unsaturated 'monocarboxylic acids of from 3 to 15 carbon atoms each wherein the carboxyl groups of said acids are monoesterlinked to a member of the group consisting of polyalkylene glycols having from 2 to 7 carbon atoms in each alkylene group and alkyl ethers thereof, and (C) acidic compounds selected from the group consisting of 0:,13- unsaturated monocarboxylic acids of from 3 to 15 carbon atoms each, a,[3-unsaturated, 0:, 3-dlCfiIb0XYliC acids of from 4 to 12 carbon atoms each, anhydrides thereof and half-esters thereof, the alcohol portion of the ester group being as defined in (B) or hydrocarbons containing from 4 to 30 aliphatic carbon atoms. Representative 'copolymers coming within the scope of the present invention are, for example, dodecyl methacrylate, nonaethylene glycol methacrylate and methacrylic acid; octadecene, di-2- ethylhexyl fumarate, tridecylether of decaethylene glycol methacrylate and crotonic acid; tridecyl methacrylate, octadecyl methaerylate and dodecylether of decaethylene glycol methacrylate; and vinyl stearate, allyl ethylether, dodecylether of decaethylene glycol crotonate and itaconic acid.

The oil-solubilizing monomer portion of the polymeric additives of this invention can be any compound having at least one ethylenic linkage C=C together with at least one substituent group which contains an oil-solubilizing hydrocarbyl group of from 4 to 30 aliphatic carbon atoms, and which is characterized by the ability to copolymerize through said ethylenic linkage with the polar monomer referred to above in the presence of a suitable catalyst. Alternatively, the oil-solubilizing aliphatic radical can be introduced into the copolymer, as will hereinafter be more fully described. This aliphatic radical, whether present in the original monomer or introduced into the copolymer, imparts oil solubility to the 3,277,157 Patented Oct. 4, 1966 ice polymer and is preferably a branchedor straight-chain alkyl radical or a cycloalkyl radical such as butyl, isobutyl n-pentyl, n-hexyl, 2-ethylhexyl, decyl, dodecyl, tetradecyl, cyclohexyl, 4-ethylcy-clohexyl, or the like, or an alkenyl radical such as oleyl, ricinoleyl, or the like, wherein the ethylenic double bond has substantially no copolymerizing tendency. Oil-solubilizing monomers of this general character are well known in the art and are frequently employed as the oil-solubilizing portion of copolymers which are added to oils to improve the characteristics thereof. They include such materials as olefins and ethylenically unsaturated ethers, esters, ketones, aldehydes, and the like.

The oil-solubilizing monomers of component (A) may also be illustrated by the following general formula:

in which R and R are members of the group consisting of hydrogen and hydrocarbon radicals of from 4 to 30 carbon atoms, at least one of which contains an aliphatic hydrocarbon group of from 4 to 30 carbon atoms as described above, G and G are members of the class consisting of oxy (-O), carbonyl and carbonyloxy groups and combinations thereof with not more than two alkylene groups of from 1 to 7 carbon atoms each, and n and n are 0 or 1. When R and R are hydrocarbon radicals, they may be alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, alkaryl or aralkyl in structure, as illustrated by radicals such as 2-ethylhexyl, cyclohexyl, hexenyl, cyclohexenyl, phenyl, naphthyl, tertbutylphenyl, benzyl, etc., with the preferred radicals beingas previously mentioned.

Representative oil-solubilizing monomer compounds which can be employed to form the copolymeric additives of the present invention include the following:

OLEF INS Hexene-l 2-ethylhexene-1 Diand triisobutylene Tripropylene Dodecene-l Hexadecene-l Cyclohexene Octadecene-l 4-octylcyclohexene-1 3-phenylhexadecene-l p-Octylstyrene Vinylcyclohexane Z-hexadecylbutadiene-LB p-Tert.butylstyrene ETHERS Vinyl-n-butyl ether Vinyl Z-ethylhexyl ether Allyl n butyl ether Allyl isobutyl ether Allyl cyclohexyl ether Alyl 4,4,8,8-tetramethyldocosyl ether Methallyl n-hexyl ether Methallyl n-decyl ether Methallyl Z-ethylhexyl ether Methallyl octadecyl ether Propenyl Z-ethylhexyl ether Crotyl n-octyl ether ETHERSContinued -Isopropenyl dodecyl ether l-decenyl butyl ether l-eicosenyl decyl ether Vinyl p-octylphenyl ether Methallyl p-tert. butylphenyl ether l-decenyl p-cetylphenyl ether l-dece-nyl 2-phenylbutyl ether ESTERS Vinyl caproate Vinyl palmitate Vinyl oleate Allyl caprylate Allyl laurate Allyl oleate Allyl palrnitate rAllyl stearate Allyl Z-ethylhexenoate Allyl ricinoleate Allyl esters of babassu acids Allyl esters of lard acids Allyl naphthenate Methallyl caproate Methallyl naphthenate Methallyl ricinoleate Methallyl p-oc-tylbenzoate Methallyl oleate Methallyl cyclohexane carboxylate Methallyl palrnitate Crotyl oleate Crotyl naphthenate a-Methylcrotyl palmitate l-propenyl naphthenate l-propenyl elaidate Dodecyl acrylate Hexadecyl methacrylate Isobutyl u-decylacrylate Vinyl p-n-octyl benzoate Allyl 3,5-diisobutyl benzoate Cyclohexyl methacrylate Cyclohexyl 2-dodecenoate Decyl vinylacetate Isooctyl m-chloroacrylate p-Isoamylphenyl 2-hexadecenoate 4-p-tolylbutyl 2-octadecenoate Undecyl cinnamate Methylcyclohexyl '2-ethyl-2-hexenoate S-ethyldocosyl crotonate Octadecyl isocrotonate n-Butyl-Z-eicosenoate p-tert.amylphenyl octadecyl maleate p-I-Iexadecylphenyl 2-ethylhexyl maleate o-Tolyl 2-octadecylcyclohexyl maleate o-Nonylphenyl-hexadecyl maleate Dihexadecyl maleate Dimethylcyclohexyl maleate Mono-2-ethylhexy1 maleate Di-Z-ethylhexyl maleate Di-dodecyl maleate Di-dodecyl fumarate Di-dodecyl mesaconate Di-dodecyl citraconate o-Tolyl octadecyl itaconate Mono-hexadecyl itaconate Isopropenyl palmitoleate l-decenyl laurate l-hexadecenyl myristate Although any of the oil-solubilizing compounds described above will give effective copolymer compositions for lubricant compositions in accordance with the present invention, higher alkyl esters of a,-unsaturated monocarboxylic acids of from 3 to 8 carbon atoms having alkyl groups of from 8 to 30 carbon atoms are most preferred,

both for availability and effectiveness of copolymers prepared from them. Representative acids of this type are the acrylic, methacrylic, crotonic, tiglic, angelic, a-ethylacrylic, u-methylcrortonic, a-ethylcrotonic, fi-et-hylcrotonic, fi-propylcrotonic, and hydrosorbic acids and the like. Even more desirable are the alkyl esters of acrylic and methacrylic acids containing from 10 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkyl groups, since they are found to provide highly superior polymers according to the invention and are obtainable in commercial quantities.

The il-unsaturated monocarboxylic acid components of the copolymeric additives of this invention have the general formula where the R s, R 's and R 's, which can be the same as or different from one another, are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms and alkyl groups of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms. Representative acids of this type, any one or more of which can be employed in forming the copolymers hereof, are acrylic, methacrylic, crotonic, tiglic, angelic, oz-ethylacrylic, a-methylcrotonic, aethylcr-otonic, fi-ethylcrotonic, oz-blltYlCl'OtOIllC, hydrosorbic, a-ethylhydrosorbic, and oc-propylhydrosorbic acids, and the like. A more preferred group of acids for use in the present invention comprises those of the type indicated by the above structural formula which contain a total of from about 3 to 8 carbon atoms in the molecule, as represented by all except the last-named of the acids listed above. A still more preferred group of acids is made up of acrylic and methacrylic acids.

The a,fi-unsaturated, a, 8-dicarboxylic acid components of the copolymeric additives have the structural formula 0 R3 R3 0 R. l-R. wherein the R 's, which may be the same or different from one another, are hydrogen atoms or alkyl groups of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms each, and the R 's represent (1) a common radical (in which case the compound is an acid anhydride), or (2) both R 's represent OH radicals. Representative acids of this type, any one or more of which can be employed, include maleic, fumaric, itaconic, glutaconic, citraconic, mesaconic and aconitic acids, and the like. A preferred group of acids comprises those of the type illustrated by the above formula which contain a total of from about 4 to 8 carbon atoms in the molecule Still more preferred are maleic acid and its anhydride.

The polyalkylene glycols and alkyl ethers thereof used in the esterification of the copolymeric (B) and (C) components of the copolymer additives of the invention contain from 2 to 7 carbon atoms in each alkylene group, as already mentioned. Poly-1,2-alkylene glycols and their alkyl ethers having molecular weights between 134 and 30,000 are preferred. Such glycols may be obtained by polymerizing 1,2-alkylene oxides or mixtures thereof in the presence of a catalyst and a suitable initiator for the reaction such as water, monohydric alcohol in the case of the allyl ethers, mercaptan and the like. The preparation of polyglycol compounds of this type has been fully described heretofore in US. Patents 2,448,664 and 2,457,139, for example, and, therefore, requires no detailed discussion here.

The polyglycol ester of the (B) component of the polymer can also be described as having the general structural formula where R R and R as indicated above in connection with the definition of the monocarboxylic acid component, are hydrogen atoms or C -C alkyl radicals, the R s are 1,2-alkylene radicals of 2 to 7 carbon atoms, n is an integer greater than 1, and R is a hydrogen atom or a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon group, the substituent groups here contemplated being the polar groups where the R s and the R s are hydrogen atoms or hydro-.

carbon groups. For present purposes, however, a more preferred group of (B) monomer components is made up of those compounds wherein, in the above structural formula, R and R represent hydrogen atoms, R represents hydrogen or a methyl group, the R s are ethylene or propylene groups, and R is hydrogen or an alkyl group of from 1 to 18 carbon atoms.

For present purposes, the most suitable poly-1,2-alkylene glycols are those derived from ethylene oxide or from 1,2-propylene oxide or mixtures thereof and their alkyl ethers of 1 to 18 carbon atoms per alkyl group which have molecular weights or average molecular weights between about 200 and 2000, or higher, preferably between about 400 and 10,000. Esterification with these polyalkylene glycols is found to provide the most effective detergent and dispersant compositions.

The following-polyalkylene glycols containing from 2 to 7 carbon atoms in each alkylene group are illustrative of the types described above:

Polyethylene glycol mixtures having average molecular weights of 200, 400, 1000, 1540, 2000 or 10,000.

Poly-1,2-propylene glycol mixtures having average molecular weights of 425, 1025 or 10,000.

In preparing the copolymers of this invention, it is important to obtain a final product which is oil soluble, i.e., which is soluble in the mineral oil or hydrocarbon to the extent of at least 0.0005 by weight. Since the various oil-solubilizing monomer components diifer somewhat in their oil-solubilizing characteristics, preliminary tests are made with the polymeric additive to determine whether the relative proportion of oil-solubilizing monomer compoundin the copolymer is high enough to impart the desired degree of oil solubility. If the solubility in oil is unduly low, and if there remain uncombined carboxyl groups in the copolymer, the oil solubility thereof can normally be remedied by esterifying a portion of said carboxyl groups with a higher alcohol, e.g., a C or higher aliphatic alcohol such as n-octanol, Z-ethylhexanol, decanol, dodecanol (lauryl alcohol) or the like.

In general, however, satisfactory oil-solubility, dispersant and detergent properties are obtained with polymers wherein the (A), or oil-solubilizing component constitutes from about 75 to 97 mole percent or more, for example 99.9 mole percent, of the overall polymer composition, with the (B) and (C), or polar polyglycol ester and acid monomer components representing a total of from 25 to 3 mole percent or less, for example, 0.1 mole percent, of the polymer composition, there being in all cases at least one and usually several monomer units of said (B) polyglycol ester monomer components in the copolymer. Expressed percentagewise, of the total polar monomer content of the copolymer, the (B), or polyglycol ester component constitutes from 100 to 3 mole percent, while the (C), or acid component constitutes from 0 to 97 mole percent. By a careful program of exploratory research, supported by engine testing data, preferred ranges can be established within the aforesaid ranges for particular polymers and classes of polymers coming within the scope of this invention. Thus, with copolymers of (A) a higher alkyl methacrylate (e.g., lauryl methacrylate), (B) an acrylate or methacrylate of a polyethylene glycol or a polypropylene glycol, or a monoalkyl ether of said glycols, or mixture of said glycols or glycol ethers, or a polyglycol monoether, where the glycols are of the molecular weights previously specified for these compounds, and (C) acrylic or methacrylic acids, there preferably is employed from 80 to 99.9 mole percent of the oil-solubilizing (A) component. The balance or polar portion of the polymer, taken on the basis of 100 mole percent polar portion, is made up from to 100 mole percent of the (B) component and 65 to 0 mole percent of the (C) component.

Athough effective copolymers according to the invention are obtained with proportions of oil-solubilizing (A) monomer units and polar (B) and (C) monomer units within the aforementioned ranges, it has been noted that in the application of the copolymeric detergent additives of the present invention in mineral oil, a certain optimum relationship appears to exit between the total number of solubilizing aliphatic carbon atoms and the total number of polar groups within the molecule. This optimum relationship which is termed Polar Balance for conveni-t ence is expressed by the formula and excluding aromatic ring carbon atoms and the carbon atom of carbonyl groups.

The polar balance of a given copolymer according to the above formula is equal to the sum of the number of each type of polar group multipled by its polarity constant, said sum being then divided by the number of solubilizing aliphatic carbon atoms. For best performance, the polar balance is approximately 1. However,

very effective copolymeric detergent additives may have polar balances in the range from 0.30 to 3.00.

The copolymers employed in a practice of this invention can be prepared by any one of several methods), as known in the art. Thus, one may polymerize a mixture of the desired monomer components to form the desired polymer. The reaction is easier to control, however, by starting with suitable precursor compounds, with the desired monomer units then being formed by the appropriate treatment of the resutling polymeric intermediate product. Thus, one may first copolymerize a given oil-solubilizing compound such as an alkyl methacrylate With a suitable acid component such as methacrylic acid or maleic anhydride; the resulting polymer is then reacted with a polyalkylene glycol whereby a portion or all of the free COOH groups in the polymer intermediate become monoester-linked to the polyalkylene glycol. Other possible variations in the nature of the reactants and in the selection of a suitable reaction path would also suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

When the polymeric additive of this invention, or a suitable polymeric intermediate, is to be prepared by reaction of monomeric components, said polymers can be prepared by conventional bulk, solution or emulsion methods in the presence of an addition polymerization initiator. Preferably, however, the copolymerization is effected in an inert organic solvent such as benzene, toluene, xylene or petroleum naphtha in the presence of a free radical-liberating type of initiator such as a peroxy compound, for example, benzoyl peroxide, acetyl peroxide, tert.butyl hydroperoxide, di-tert.butyl peroxide, dibenzoyl peroxide, or di-tert.amyl peroxide, or an azo initiator such as 1,1'-azodicyclohexane-carbonitrile or u,a-azodiisobutyronitrile. The catalyst, or polymerization initiator, can be employed in an amount of from about 0.1 to with a preferred range being from 0.10 to 2%. If desired, the catalyst can be added in increments as the reaction proceeds. Likewise, additional portions of the solvent can also be added from time to time in order to maintain the solution in a homogenous condition. The temperature of copolymerization varies from about 170 to 300 F., with the optimum temperature for any given preparation depending on the nature of the solvent, the concentration of monomers present in the solvent, the catalyst, and the duration of the reaction. Much the same conditions are employed when the copolymerization is effected in bulk rather than in the presence of an inert solvent.

The copolymer additives of the invention have apparent molecular weights as determined by standard light scattering methods of at least 2000 and preferably 8000. For practical purposes, molecular weights of from 100,000 to 1,000,000 are most suitable from the standpoint of viscosity and other physical characteristics of the polymeric additives.

Typical methods for preparing the copolymers which can be employed with success as detergents and dispersants in various compositions are given in the following examples.

Example 1 In this operation a homopolymer of dodecyl methacrylate (Acryloid 710, a product of Rohm & Haas Company) Was employed as the starting material from which was prepared a copolymer intermediate of dodecyl methacrylate and methacrylic acid. The preparation was as follows: A solution of 14 g. of potassium hydroxide in 300 cc. of 2-ethylhexanol was prepared, and to this solution was added 800 cc. of a 40% solution in mineral oil of the methacrylate homopolymer, this amount of KOH constituting a slight excess over that theoretically required to effect the desired saponification of approximately 12% of the ester groups present in the polymer. The resulting solution was heated to 320 F. and maintained at this temperature, with stirring, for 10 hours. To this solution was then added 50 cc. of benzene along with a 50% excess of 6N HCl over the amount theoretically required to liberate the free carboxyl groups from the corresponding salt. The acidified solution was then refluxed for two hours, after which it was cooled, diluted with ethyl ether, and water washed (along with a small amount of ethyl alcohol to break the emulsion) until neutral to litmus. The ether and dodecyl alcohol present in the solution were then distilled oflF, leaving as the oilsoluble residue a copolymer of dodecyl methacrylate and methacrylic acid wherein said components were present in a monomer ratio of 7.5:1, respectively. 140 grams of the resulting polymer intermediate were then dissolved in 250 g. of xylene and 60 g. of benzene, and to the result ing solution was added 60 g. of a mixture of polyethylene glycol compounds consisting of major portions of nonaethylene glycol and having an average molecular weight of about 400, together with one-half gram of the esterification catalyst p-toluene sulfonic acid. This mixture was refluxed at 270 F. for 10 hours, after which a sufficient quantitiy of solvent was distilled ofl? to raise the reflux temperature to 335 F., with the refluxing being continued for three hours at this temperature. The reaction mixture was then cooled and dissolved in an equal volume of benzene, from which solution the polymer was then precipitated out by the addition of five times the volume of a 4:1 acetone-methanol mixture. This polymer which incorporates dodecyl methacrylate, methacrylic acid and polyethylene glycol monomethacrylate monomer units in the approximate proportions of 7.5:0.85:0.15, respectively, is a viscous solid which is miscible with benzene, toluene, xylene and hydrocarbon mineral oils in substantially all proportions. It has an apparent molecular weight of about 20,000-40,000.

Example 2 g. (0.5 mole) of vinyl stearate, 2.7 g. (0.021 mole) of itaconic acid, 14.8 g. (0.021 mole) of tridecylcapped polyethylene glycol methacrylate (molecular weight 708), and 200 cc. of butanone were charged to a 3-necked reaction flask fitted with a stirrer, thermom: eter, reflux condenser, and dropping funnel. The mixture was stirred and heated to reflux temperature, 188 F. A solution of 3.4 g. of benzoyl peroxide in 30 cc. of butanone was added during a period of 2 hours. No apparent thickening occurred during this time. On the removal of cc. of solvent, polymerization proceeded. The temperature was raised to 220225 F. and kept at this temperature for 2 hours. 1.7 g. of bulk catalyst was then added in small installments over a period of an hour. Additional thickening occurred on stirring the mixture at 220 F. for another 3 hours. 700 cc. of benzene was added to the mixture, and the polymer was precipitated with 5 volumes of methanol. The recovered product was taken up in mineral oil to give 144 g. of polymer as a 52% concentrate. Analyses of the concentrate indicated that the polymer contained vinyl ste-arate, itaconic acid, and tridecyl ether of decaethylene glycol methacrylate in a molar ratio of approximately 68:4:3.

Example 3 75.5 g. (0.3 mole) of octadecene, 63 g. (0.3 mole) of di-Z-ethylhexyl fumarate, 8.2 g. (0.095 mole) of crotonic acid, and 16.3 g. (0.23 mole) of tridecyl-capped polyethylene glycol methacrylate (molecular weight 708) were charged to a polymerization reactor as described in the a Example 4 A 3-necked flask fitted with a stirrer, thermometer, reflux condenser, and dropping funnel was charged with 29.6 g. (0.35 mole) of hexene-1. The monomer was stirred and heated to reflux, 146 F. A monomer mixture comprised of 89 g. (0.35 mole) of lauryl methacrylate, 1.2 g. (0.014 mole) of methacrylic acid, and 61.2 g. (0.059 mole) of dodecyl-capped polyethylene glycol methacrylate (molecular weight 1034), in 30 cc. of benzene was added to the refluxing hexene simultaneously with the addition of a catalyst solution. After the addition of 100 cc. of the monomer mixture and approximately 0.45 g. of benzoyl peroxide in 5 cc. of benzene over aperiod of 2 hours, no polymerization was observed. During the course of addition, the temperature gradually rose, and after another two hours the maximum temperature reached was 187 F. Considerable thickening occurred during this time and it was necessary to add xylene diluent in small portions at intervals to facilitate stirring. The mixture was kept at 190 F. for another three hours. At this point 177 g. of mineral oil was added. The solvent and unreacted hexene, lauryl methacrylate and methacrylic -acid were distilled from the" mixture to give 140 g. of polymer as a 44% concentrate. The polymer was shown by analyses to contain hexene, lauryl methacrylate, methacrylic acid, and dodecyl-capped polyethylene glycol methacrylate in a molar ratio of 17:25 :2:4.

Example 1.9 kg. of phenol was mixed with 4 kg. of polyisobutylene having an average molecular weight of about 400. The polyisobutylene corresponded roughly to heptaisobu tylene. To this mixture 90 g. of a boron trifluoride phenol complex was added to catalyze the alkylation. An additional 90 g. of catalyst was added after the reaction mix had stood at 60 C. for 4 hours. The heating was continued for another 3 hours and 2.5 liters of a solution of potassium carbonate was then added to the mixture. This mixture was stirred for half an hour, after which the potassium carbonate solution was withdrawn and the alkylated phenol was washed with hot water until the water washers were neutral. The mixture was then stripped of water and other volatile material by heating to 320 F. under a vacuum of 3 mm. of mercury. The yield of washed product was 4215 g. and the equivalent weight was 620.

4100 g. of the alkyl phenol obtained above was mixed with 21 g. of sodium hydroxide and the mixture added to a bomb which was heated to 100 C. 415 g. of ethylene oxide was charged to the bomb. This addition of ethylene oxide was carried out over a period of 1 /2 hours in order to maintain the temperature of the exothermic reaction below 125 C. After charging all of the ethylene oxide, the bomb was rocked to insure mixing of the reactants for 4 hours. The product from the bomb was neutralized with glacial acetic acid and washed, yielding 4467 g. of alkylated phenoxyethanol having an equivalent weight of 736 as determined by hydroxyl number value.

The alkylphenoxyethanol was converted to methacrylate ester by reaction with methacrylic acid. 400 g. of the alkylphenoxyethanol, 215 g. methacrylic acid, 400 cc. of benzene, 5 g. of hydroquinone and 3 cc. of sulfuric acid were mixed and heated under reflux at about 200 F. for about 20 hours. The theoretical amount of water was evolved. The contents of the vessel were filtered and stripped at 400 F. under 6 mm. of mercury pressure. The stripped product was washed with sodium hydroxide and then with water until the water was neutral. It was then reheated to 220 F. under a pressure of 6 mm. of mercury to remove final traces of water. The yield was about 400 g.

100 g. of the alkylphenoxyethyl methacrylate obtained above, 5 /2 g. of methacrylic acid, 30 g. of dodecyl ether of decaethylene glycol methacrylate and 1.4 g. of benzoyl peroxide were charged to a flask and blanketed with an inert atmosphere of nitrogen. Benzene was added to reduce the viscosity and the contents of the flask refluxed at about 197 F. for 3 /2 hours. Methanol was then added to the benzene solution to precipitate a viscous polymer product. The separated polymer was admixed with a mineral oil having a viscosity of 150 SSU at 130 F. The yield of polymer concentrate was 245 g. The polymer was a copolymer of heptaisobutylenephenoxyethyl methacrylate-methacrylic acid-dodecyl ether of decaethylene glycol methacrylate with a ratio of 20:7:5.

Other copolymers illustrative of the compositions of the invention were prepared according to the procedures outlined in the above examples. These copolymers are referred to in the tables which follow where they are described with respect to the particular monomers and mole ratios employed.

The efiicacy of copolymeric additives of the type described above as detergents and dispersants in oils is illustrated by data from a number of tests. In the test from which the data is obtained, the base oil, unless 10 otherwise specified, is a solvent-refined, wax-free SAE 30 grade mineral oil which is derived from California waxy crude. Various amounts of the copolymeric additives are incorporated into the oil as noted in tenns of percent by weight.

In the Lacquer Deposition Test the low temperature detergency of the oils tested is measured by determin ing the ability of the oil to solubilize and retain typical engine fuel deposits and precursors thereof which are formed due to incomplete combustion of the fuel. Retention of these deposits in a given oil depends upon their dispersal and upon minimizing their polymerization to lacquer.

Briefly described, the Lacquer Deposition Test involves condensing fresh, cool flame oxidation products from a standard test fuel simulating the fuel combustion products of an internal combustion engine in a steel vessel containing a certain amount of the oil being tested. The steel surface of the vessel acts as an iron catalyst for polymerization of the fuel oxidation products to lacquer in the same manner as the steel surfaces in an internal combustion engine. After the oxidation products have been condensed, the steel vessel containing the lubricating oil is heated for 24 hours at a temperature selected to correspond with actual engine conditions. The test oil is then decanted while hot from the lacquer deposits formed in the steel vessel due to polymerization and the lacquer deposits are de-oiled and weighed.

In the actual test a low grade gasoline is employed of the type described in connection with the standard FL-2 test procedure given below. The gasoline at a rate of 13.3 cc. per hour is vaporized and mixed with air, the air rate being 1.75 liters per minute. The vapor mixture of gasoline and air is then fed into an elongated cool flame combustion chamber of standard design having a diameter of 1 inches. The cool flame combustion chamber is maintained at 695 F. The test is continued for 1 hour during which the oxidation products issuing from the cool flame combustion chamber are condensed into the weighed steel catalyst vessel which contains 30 g. of the oil being tested at about room temperature. The steel vessel containing test oil and con densed oxidation products is then heated for 24 hours at F. The oil is decanted from the lacquer deposits in the vessel, following which the deposits are deoiled by washing with petroleum solvent. The increase in weight of the steel vessel due to the lacquer deposits is then determined and recorded in milligrams as LD or Lacquer Deposit.

The Lacquer Deposit for any given composition ob tained in accordance with the procedure described above is directly correlated to the Piston Varnish Rating or PVR obtained for the same composition in the standard FL-2 test procedure previously referred to and hereinafter more particularly described. Table I which follows gives the correlated vflues for both the Lacquer Deposits and Piston Varnish Ratings.

The correlated values in the above table provide an accurate means for estimating from the Lacquer Deposits determined for a given oil the Piston Varnish Rating to be obtained in the standard FL2 Chevrolet engine test.

In the test where the Piston Varnish Ratings are obtained, a given oil composition is tested as the crankcase lubricant in a 6-cy1. Chevrolet engine using a low grade gasoline especially prone to cause engine deposits, the conditions being those defined in the Standard FL-2 test procedure as described in the June 21, 1948 report of the Coordinating Research Council. This procedure requires the maintenance of a jacket temperature of 95 F. and a crankcase oil temperature of 155 F. at 2500 rpm. and 45 brake horsepower of 40 hours, and therefore closely simulates the relatively cold engine conditions which are normally experienced in city driving. At the end of each test, the engine is dismantled and the amount of engine deposits on the piston determined and expressed as the Piston Varnish Rating. This value is obtained by visually rating (on a scale of to 10, with 10 representing the absence of any deposit) the amount of deposit on each piston skirt and averaging the individual ratings so obtained for the various pistons. Under the conditions of this test, a Piston Varnish Rating of 4.5 is indicative of satisfactory performance, though preferably this rat ing should be or above. In the case of the base oil alone without the addition of any additives, it is found that the Piston Varnish Rating is approximately 3.0. On the other hand, as indicated by the data presented in Table II below, when the base oil is compounded with the indicated amounts of a copolymer, greatly superior results are obtained.

TAB LE II Ratio of (l) Mono Piston Composition mer to (2) Monomer Varnish to (3) Monomer, Rating Etc.

Base oil alone 3.0 1.5% Copolymer of (1) dodecyl methacrylate, (2) methaerylic acid and (3) nonaethylene glycol mcthaerylate in base 011 23/3/1 4. 7

33/5/1 6. 7 39/6/1 8. 3 48/6/1 5. 0 /8/1 4. 3 7 5/10/1 4. 3 Do 223/32/1 4.3 1.5% Copolymer of (1) dodecyl methac- 50 rylate, (2) methacrylic acid and (3) dodecylether oi decaethylene glycol methacrylate in base oil 43/5/1 5. 8 Do 75/10/1 7. 7 1.5% Copolymer of (1) dodecyl methacrylate, (2) methacrylic acid and (3) dodecylether of nonaethylene glycol methacrylate in base oil 16/2/1 5.1

rylate, (2) methacrylic acid and (3) octadecylether of eicosaethylene glycol methacrylate in base oil 18/2/1 4. 2 1.5% Copolymer of 1 dedccyl aerylate,

(2) acrylic acid and (3) dodeeylether of decaethylene glycol acrylate in base 011 70/8/1 5.1 1.5% Copolymer of (1) ecyl methacrylate, (2) octadecyl methacrylate, (3) methacrylic acid and (4) dodecylether of dccaethylene glycol mcthacrylate in base oil 10/7/1-1/2/1 5. 4 14/9/21/2/1 6. 5 14/10/2/1 6. 6 15/15/4/1 (i. 2 18/12/4 4. 7 20/14/4/1 4.3 16/11/1/2 4. 6 11/7/1-1 2/1 4. s 12/8/2 1 6. 0 16/16/4/1 4. 4

rylate, (2) octadecyl methacrylate, (3) methacrylic acid and (4) octadecyl ether of eicosaethylene glycol methacrylate in base oil 14/9/2/1 7. 6

TABLE II'C0ntinued Ratio of (l) Monomer to (2) Monomer to (3) Monomer, Etc.

Piston Varnish Composition Rating 7 Do 1.5% Copolymer of (1) dodecyl methacrylate, (2) methacrylic acid and (3) methoxy (mixed polyethylene glycolpolypropylene glycol in approx. 1:1 mole ratio having an av. mol. wt. of a prox. 400) methacrylate in base oil 1.6 a Copolymer of (1) dodecyl methacrylate, (2) methacrylic acid and (3) butylether of decaethylene glycol methacrylate in base oil 1.5% Copolymer of (1) dodecyl methac rylate, (2) methacrylic acid and (3) octapropylene glycol methacrylate in base oil 1.5% Copolymer of (l) dodecyl methacrylate, (2) methacrylic acid and (3) pentaethylene glycol methacrylate in base oil Do 1.5% Copolymer of (1) dodecyl methacrylate, (2) methacrylic acid and (3) dodecylthioundccaethylene glycol methacrylate in base oil 5l.% Copolymer of (1) dodecyl methacrylate, (2) methacrylic acid and (3) decylthionouaethylene glycol methacrylate in base oil 1.5% Copolymer of (1) lauryl methacrylate, (2) methacrylic acid and (3) methacrylate of lauryl monoether of polyethylene glycol (av. mol. wt. 440) in balsje oil 7. 5/0.85/0. 15 7. 5/0. 74/0. 26 7. 5/0. 65/0. 35 1.5% Copolymer of (1) lauryl methacrylate, (2) methacrylic acid and (3) methaerylate of octadecyl monoether of polyethylene glycol (av. mol. wt. 440) in base oil 1.5% Copolymer of (1) laurylmethacrylate, (2) methacrylic acid and (3) methacrylic acid and (3) methacrylate of lauryl monoether of polyethylene glycol (av. mol. wt. 704) in base oil 1.5% Go olymer of (1) lauryl methacrylate, (2 methaerylic acid and (3) methacrylate of methyl monoether of polyethylene glycol (av. mol. wt. 750) in base oil 1.5% Copolymer of (1) lauryl methacrylate, (2) methacrylic acid and (3) methacrylate of methyl monoether of polyethylene glycol (av. mol. wt. 400) in base oil 1.5% Copolymer of (1) lauryl methacrylate, (2) methacrylic acid and (3) methacrylate of lauryl monoether of polyethylene glycol (av. mol. wt. 440) in base oil 1.5% Copolymer of (1) lauryl methacrylate, (2) methacrylic acid and (3) methacrylate of polypropylene glycol (av. mol. wt. 425) in base oil 1.5% Copolymer of (1) lauryl methacrylate, (2) acrylic acid and (3) methacrylate of lauryl monoether of polyethylene glycol (av. mol. wt. 440) in base 01L 1.5% Copolymer of (1) tridecyl methacrylate, (2) methacrylic acid and (3) methacrylate of tridecyl monoether of polyethylene glycol (av. mol. Wt. 440) in base oil 1.5% Copolymer of (1) (alkylphenoxy) ethyl methacrylate, (2) methacryhc acid and (3) methacrylate of lauryl monoether of polyethylene glycol (av. mol. wt. 440) in base 011 1.5% Copolymer of (1) dodecyl methacrylate, (2) methacrylic acid and (3) nouaethylene glycol monomethacrylate in base oilsome Prepared by allq lating phenol with polybutylene (av. 0 per mole cule) over BF; catalyst.

tion as detergents and dispersants in base oils as determined by the Lacquer Deposition Test:

ethylene glycol ether having an average molecular weight between about 400 and 10,000.

TABLE III Piston Ratio of Lacquer Varnish (1) Monomer to Deposit Rating Composition (2) Monomer to (Milli- (Estimated (3) Monomer, etc. grams) From Lacquer Deposit) Base oil alone- 850 3. 2.8% Copolymer of (1) vinyl stearate, (2)

itaconic acid and (3) trideeylether of decaethylene glycol methacrylate in base oil.-." 68/4/3 505 4. 4 2.8% Copolymer of (1) oetadecene, (2) di-2- ethylhexyl fumarate, (3) crotom'c acid and (4) tridecyl ether of decaethylene glycol methacrylate in base oil /15/3/1 617 3. 9 2.8% Copolymer of (1) hexene, (2) dodecyl methacrylate, (3) methacrylic acid and (4) dodeoylether of octadecaethylene glycol methacrylate in base oil 17/25/2/4 495 4. 4 2.8% Copolymer of (1) vinyl stearate, (2) allyl ethylether, (3) itaconic acid and (4) dodecylether of decaethylene glycol orotonate in base oil 17/5/2/1 515 4. 3

As indicated in the foregoing examples, the copolymers of this invention possess a relatively high molecular weight and are normally of a solid or semi-solid (gellike) character. They are soluble in a wide variety of hydrocarbon liquids including benzene, toluene, xylene, petroleum ether and the various petroleum fractions including gasoline, kerosene, jet fuels, furnace oils, bunker oils, and oils of lubricating viscosity such as those employed as crankcase lubricants in internal combustion engines. They are soluble with difliculty in lower molecular weight paraflinic hydrocarbons such as pentane, hexane and the like. They are substantially insoluble in oxygenated solvents such as acetone and the various alcohols. The present copolymers have good detergent, emulsifying and peptizing qualities and are adapted to be used in a wide variety of applications where such qualities are desired. Thus, when added in small amounts (e.g., 05-10%) to lubricating oils, they impart improved detergency and antiwear characteristics to the resulting lubricant composition. Again, when added to jet fuels, furnace oils and the like, they act to prevent the various gums and other solid particles which form in said liquids from depositing out on the filters or in the heat exchangers through which many of said liquids are passed, such action apparently being attributable to a species of peptizing or other solubilizing action.

We claim:

1. A compound of the general formula wherein R is a member of the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl radicals of 1 to 18 carbon atoms, R is a member of the group consisting of hydrogen and methyl and R" is an alkylene radical of the group consisting of ethylene and propylene, while the subscript n has a value not less than 4 and (OR") --OR is derived from a polyalkylene glycol which has a molecular weight between about 400 and 10,000.

2. A polyglycol ester having the structural formula R: R: O V

R1-C=CCO(Rr'O)n R6 wherein R and R represent hydrogen atoms, R, represents a methyl group, R is an alkyl group of 1 to 18 carbon atoms (-R O) R is derived from a poly- 3. A methoxy polyethylene glycol ester of methacrylic acid of the formula wherein n has a value from 4 to 20.

4. A compound of the general formula (a) 2-- 2 1a a 17 (c) HO(CH2CH20)13C12H25, and HO (CHZ CH2O)I3 CI8H3'I- 7. Methacrylate of methyl monoether of polyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of about 400.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,129,694 9/ 1938 Izard 260-486 X 2,396,434 3/ 1946 Rehberg 260-486 2,458,888 1/ 1949 Rehberg 260-486 X 2,602,079 1/ 1952 DeGroote.

2,677,700 5/ 1954 Jackson 260-486 X 2,815,369 12/1957 Holt 26048'6 2,841,567 7/ 1958 Blanton.

3,035,031 5/ 1962 Evans 260-486 X LORRAINE A. WEINBERGER, Primary Examiner.

LEON ZITVER, Examiner.

D. P. CLARKE, A. P. HALLUIM, Assistant Examiners.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,277,157 October 4, 1966 William T. Stewart et al.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4, line 4, for "methylcrortonic" read methylcrotonic column 12, TABLE II-Continued, first column, line 35 thereof, for "5l.%" read 1.5% column 14, line 40, after "esters" insert of the alkyl ethers same line 40 strike out "the" second occurrence; line 41,

3 strlke out "alkyl ethers".

Signed and sealed this 12th day of September 1967.

( L) Attest:

ERNEST W. SW'IDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A COMPOUND OF THE GENERAL FORMULA CH2=C(-R)-CO-(O-R")N-O-R'' WHEREIN R'' IS A MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HYDROGEN AND ALKYL RADICALS OF 1 TO 18 CARBON ATOMS, R IS A MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HYDROGEN AND METHYL AND R" IS AN ALKYLENE RADICAL OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ETHYLENE AND PROPYLENE, WHILE THE SUBSCRIPT N HAS A VALUE NOT LESS THAN 4 AND -(OR")N-OR'' IS DERIVED FROM A POLYALKYLENE GLYCOL WHICH HAS A MOLECULAR WEIGHT BETWEEN ABOUT 400 AND 10,000. 